Hello!

Do you have a question for me? Don't hit reply! Head instead for the Ask Leo! home page and search the site first - seriously, around half the questions people ask are already answered there. You can also browse the archives, past newsletters and more. If you still can't find the answer you're looking for then by all means ask your question here (it's the fastest way).

Newsletter questions? Check the newsletter administration page. You can also unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of this email.

*** New Articles

Do I need a firewall, and if so, what kind?

*

The very short, very easy answer is: hell yes! Absolutely, positively you need a firewall.

With all that happens on the internet these days it's simply too risky to let your computer sit "naked" on the internet unless you really know what you're doing.

The real question is then: what do you need?

Heck, it's even possible you already are behind a firewall and don't need anything more.

Continue reading: Do I need a firewall, and if so, what kind?
http://ask-leo.com/C1911

* * *

Why, or how, do files become corrupt?

*

Yes, it does "just happen".

That should make you a little nervous, and perhaps motivate you to invest in that backup strategy you've been putting off.

The fact is, things occasionally break, and when they break the failure can be catastrophic - as in suddenly your machine won't turn on - or much more subtle, not showing up for weeks or months or sometimes never.

Continue reading: Why, or how, do files become corrupt?
http://ask-leo.com/C3962

* * *

Is it safe to let my browser remember passwords?

*

I certainly wouldn't say incredibly stupid at all. But it's definitely an additional risk, and one that needs to be understood.

But you're correct in considering physical security first. The problem is that people often assume they have more physical security than they actually do.

And master passwords? Well, they're nice, but they too have their limitations.

Continue reading: Is it safe to let my browser remember passwords?
http://ask-leo.com/C3961

* * *

How do I know what programs are safe to uninstall?

*

It's my experience that "rarely" is rarely accurate. I have no idea how that moniker is created, but for the most part my sense is - it ain't right. I just checked, and a program that I use quite literally every day (the HTML editor in which I write these articles) is listed as being used "rarely", and last used about 5 months ago.

That's so wrong as to completely remove any trust I have in any of the other tags of "rarely" in the Add/Remove entries.

Unfortunately that kind of limits the information we have at hand in order to make our decisions.

Continue reading: How do I know what programs are safe to uninstall?
http://ask-leo.com/C3960

* * *

2009 Most Popular Questions

It's interesting to watch for what changes in popularity from year to year, and also what's new.

In 2009 we saw a couple of new Top 10 entries and of course some old standby's continue to make a strong showing. I think there are some interesting observations to be made about the industry based on what kinds of questions people ask most often.

Continue reading: 2009 Most Popular Questions
http://ask-leo.com/C3959

* * *

How can I know that email's I sent were received and opened?

*

That's because there is no answer to this problem.

And you're quite right, you're not the only person wishing otherwise.

But wishing - or even the statements of some companies that claim to be able to do it - doesn't make it so.

I'll explain why.

Continue reading: How can I know that email's I sent were received and opened?
http://ask-leo.com/C3958

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*** Comments

A sampling of some of the comments that have been posted recently on Ask Leo!

* * *

How long does Hotmail keep email?

Sorry, but it's unlikely that Hotmail questions will stop. There are real people with real problems that need help. That's what I'm all about. I agree that they're often using Hotmail improperly and should be doing something different, but the fact is a large number of questions I get are all Hotmail related. I'd be doing a lot of people a huge disservice if I ignored the tide. I do try to expand the Hotmail questions in to more general purpose questions (i.e. the lessons, including this article's, often apply to "all free email accounts").

-Leo

*

Can someone I'm IM'ing with see my machine or hard disk?

Scary. Every link in IM needs to be viewed with skepticism.

-Leo

*

Dell - PC Desktops, Laptops and Accessories

*** Leo Recommends

Webopedia
Internet and Technology dictionary and search engine

Ever come across an internet or computer related term or acronym that made absolutely NO sense? And yet the writer, perhaps even me, uses it as if everyone on the planet should know what it means?

Webopedia is the site for you. "The only online dictionary and search engine you need for computer and Internet technology definitions."

Continue reading...

Webopedia - Internet and Technology dictionary and search engine
http://ask-leo.com/C3648

*

Each week I recommend a specific product or resource that I've found valuable and that I think you may as well. What does my recommendation mean?

*** Popular Articles

We should all run fully protected on the internet, right? I mean, anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewalls and who knows what else are all pretty important. Right? What, then, about those brave folks who are:

Running Without a Net

Every so often I hear of people who run Windows without anti-virus or anti-spyware software. A good friend of mine runs this way, and the other day I happened to hear that a couple of high profile tech industry folks do the same.

Now, while it might be OK for them, I'm concerned that it sets a misleading example, and might cause others to think that they can get away with doing the same.

Here's the deal.

Continue reading...
Running Without a Net
http://ask-leo.com/C2885

*** Thoughts and Comments

I hope you're all having a great holiday season! It's been the usual alternating states of relaxation and frenzy out here at Ask Leo! world headquarters.

It's hard to believe we're wrapping up another year too! This is the last newsletter of 2009. I remember as a child thinking how cool it'd be in the year 2000, and here we are 10 years past! Time flies - whether or not you're having fun.

It's also hard for me to believe that we're approaching 100,000 subscribers to this newsletter. I'm at once surprised, awed and humbled that I get to share a small place in your inbox every week. It's something I try not to take for granted. I want you all to know how very grateful I am for you, your attention, your feedback and your subscription. I hope I can continue to live up to your expectations and provide something useful every week.

Here's to a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2010!

Leo A. Notenboom

*** Administration

Hello!

Do you have a question for me? Don't hit reply! Head instead for the Ask Leo! home page and search the site first - seriously, around half the questions people ask are already answered there. You can also browse the archives, past newsletters and more. If you still can't find the answer you're looking for then by all means ask your question here (it's the fastest way).

Newsletter questions? Check the newsletter administration page. You can also unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of this email.

*** New Articles

How long does Hotmail keep email?

*

In my opinion, if you need it for legal purposes you should not, not, NOT be using Hotmail. Or any free email service, for that matter.

I have nothing against them, per se, they're fine services when used properly. But if you saw the constant stream of questions I get relating to lost accounts, lost email and worse, and the inconsistent or total lack of customer support at times, you'd understand why I take such a hard line on free email accounts.

I'll answer your question, but I'll also recommend some alternatives.

Continue reading: How long does Hotmail keep email?
http://ask-leo.com/C3955

* * *

Why are there limits to attachment sizes in some places and not others?

*

Well, first we have to make sure to compare apples to apples - comparing Hotmail to Thunderbird is really an invalid comparison. I realize that you see them as "email", but in fact they are two very, very different things.

And then we need to talk about costs, and speed.

Hotmail's costs, and your recipient's speed.

Continue reading: Why are there limits to attachment sizes in some places and not others?
http://ask-leo.com/C3954

* * *

Should I Compress and Encrypt my backups?

*

Compression is in general an easy choice these days - turn it on unless you run into issues I'll talk about in a moment.

Encryption requires a little more thought. It boils down to a risk/risk tradeoff - the risk of your backup being compromised, versus the risk of not being able to get back into it yourself.

Continue reading: Should I Compress and Encrypt my backups?
http://ask-leo.com/C3953

* * *

Can someone I'm IM'ing with see my machine or hard disk?

*

Not if you've set things up properly and follow normal security precautions, no.

And even then, in most cases, it's still extremely difficult.

In reality there's nothing all that special about instant messaging. As long as you take into account all the appropriate cautions for security the most the other person might be able to get is your IP address. And as we've spoken of time and time again, that's not very useful.

Let's review what you need to do to stay safe.

Continue reading: Can someone I'm IM'ing with see my machine or hard disk?
http://ask-leo.com/C3952

* * *

Does a BIOS password protect the contents of my laptop?

*

By "boot menu" I'm going to assume you mean the menu that may be presented by your BIOS immediately after it performs its self-test, and before the operating system is loaded.

In short: with one exception, no.

To be fair, it makes things more difficult - sometimes quite difficult - but ultimately we have to return to something I've been saying for a long time:

If it's not physically secure, it's not secure.

Continue reading: Does a BIOS password protect the contents of my laptop?
http://ask-leo.com/C3951

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*** Comments

A sampling of some of the comments that have been posted recently on Ask Leo!

* * *

Someone I met in chat is threatening me - am I safe on my computer?

*

Someone I met in chat is threatening me - am I safe on my computer?

Prove it, please. I get people telling me "it's easy" (or worse, "it must be easy because my brother's friend's housecleaner did it once") all the time. To the average person without the help of law enforcement it simply isn't that easy. I'll happily rethink that when someone proves me wrong by showing exactly how the average person can do it legally.

-Leo

*

What if I just can't get installation media with my new machine?

Unfortunately when your hard drive dies those hidden directories are no longer accessible, and you then have nothing. You need installation media.

-Leo

*

TrueCrypt - Free Open Source Industrial Strength Encryption

That is correct. Brute force attempts to crack properly setup encryption will take years (if not decades or centuries), but it's theoretically possible. The true weakest link is the passphrase you choose - choose something simple that anyone can guess, and all the encryption in the world won't help you.

-Leo

*** Leo Recommends

Dell
PC Desktops, Laptops and Accessories

I'm taking a bit of a risk with today's recommendation because I know that Dell has its detractors and horror stories. The question as a friend put it is "do they have more, on average, as compared to other computer manufacturers?"

My opinion is they do not.

But I do have a few suggestions to make your Dell experience more like mine, and less like the ones getting all the negative publicity.

I own, or have owned, probably a dozen Dell computers over the years. Each has served me well, and each has lasted longer than the ever-increasing system requirements of operating systems like Windows. My Dells don't leave because they've irreparably failed; they're more likely to fall out of use because they can no longer be expanded to support the latest version of Windows, or handle newer and more demanding applications. My Dells have all lasted for years.

Continue reading...

Dell - PC Desktops, Laptops and Accessories
http://ask-leo.com/C3648

*

Each week I recommend a specific product or resource that I've found valuable and that I think you may as well. What does my recommendation mean?

*** Popular Articles

Timely, considering one of this week's current articles.

Why is using Hotmail for my business such a bad idea?

•

Because you want your email to get through, and because you want your business to be taken seriously.

I don't have anything against Hotmail, per se, or Microsoft for that matter. Remember, I worked there for many years.

My issues with Hotmail and other free email services arose mostly out of my experience here on Ask Leo!. Or, to put it more correctly, the experience of thousands of people asking me questions.

Those experiences lead me to this conclusion: using Hotmail or any free email service exclusively is bad for your business.

Let me explain why I hold that opinion that so strongly.

Continue reading...
Why is using Hotmail for my business such a bad idea?
http://ask-leo.com/C2875

*** Thoughts and Comments

Many, many thanks to everyone who sent in ideas for cellular coverage while travelling "down under" next month. (NEXT MONTH? Yikes!).

There was a strong consensus to get an unlocked GSM phone, and simply purchase a SIM card, either from one of several on-line venues, or when I arrive. Unfortunately I don't have an unlocked GSM phone - I'm on Verizon, whom I love for their U.S. coverage, but who are not GSM compatible. So you basically confirmed the research that my assistant had done and the costs involved.

My (inexpensive) unlocked GSM phone arrives this week, and I'll be making a decision on which SIM card to grab based on my needs sometime this week as well.

Again, thank you all for the advice, it's very much appreciated.

•

Some of you may remember Computer Shopper magazine. Up until earlier this year it was a largish print publication that was always fun for us geeks to grab and thumb through.

Like many print media, Computer Shopper has mophed into a pretty nice web site with much of the style, content and flavor of the old print publication.

I ended up looking at them recently after they contacted me and let me know that Ask Leo! was featured in one of their "blogs we like" segments. It was nice to be mentioned, but also nice to see that an industry veteran is still around and doing well.

Leo A. Notenboom

*** Administration

Hello!

Do you have a question for me? Don't hit reply! Head instead for the Ask Leo! home page and search the site first - seriously, around half the questions people ask are already answered there. You can also browse the archives, past newsletters and more. If you still can't find the answer you're looking for then by all means ask your question here (it's the fastest way).

Newsletter questions? Check the newsletter administration page. You can also unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of this email.

*** New Articles

Why am I repeatedly locked out of my Hotmail account, and what can I do about it?

*

I'll be honest: I don't have a good answer for you.

But I can confirm that I see a lot of people reporting locked accounts, and a few - like you - are successful at regaining access, while many more it seems are not.

I'll review why account locking happens - both the official Windows Live Hotmail explanation, and some speculation of my own - and what, if anything, you can do to avoid it and/or recover from it.

Continue reading: Why am I repeatedly locked out of my Hotmail account, and what can I do about it?
http://ask-leo.com/C3949

* * *

How can I keep data on my laptop secure?

*

I know how you feel. I also have sensitive information on my laptop that I would prefer not to fall into the wrong hands. I can handle losing the laptop, but thinking about the data in the wrong hands ... well ... that would be bad.

I do have a solution that I've been using for several years now, and it turns out to be fairly easy, secure, and free.

Continue reading: How can I keep data on my laptop secure?
http://ask-leo.com/C2343

* * *

Should I use Google's new DNS services?

*

Since Google DNS is something you have to choose to use, it won't affect you if you don't use it. I know that's obvious to some, but Google's quite big and mysterious to many people so I just wanted to make that clear up front.

And for most people I actually expect that you won't elect to use Google DNS, and that's just fine.

If you do use it, it has nothing to do with your "wireless" system or not - it's a service that would affect any computers on which you choose to enable it, or on all computers that connect to the internet through your Google DNS enabled router.

I'll review what it is, how it compares to the other replacement DNS service "Open DNS", and why you might want to use it. I'll also touch on how to make the switch if you decide that you want to do so.

Continue reading: Should I use Google's new DNS services?
http://ask-leo.com/C3948

* * *

What are the steps to upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7?

My wife's computer has been in need of a "reformat and reinstall" for some time. It just had some flaky behavior that couldn't really be attributed to anything specific, other than software rot.

After having and using Windows 7 on two new machines in the last couple of months, I'd come to the conclusion that it was a fine, fine replacement for Windows XP in our situation. The only open question was "would it work on her older machine?".

There were a couple of minor hiccups, but the short answer is: yes.

Let me describe the machine, my process, and what we have running today.

Continue reading: What are the steps to upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7?
http://ask-leo.com/C3947

* * *

Someone I met in chat is threatening me - am I safe on my computer?

*

You're probably just as safe as you were before ever talking to this person.

But you're not alone in being concerned. I hear about your kind of situation all the time, and the bottom line question is always the same: "am I safe on my computer"?

The answer isn't really yes or no, I'm afraid. It depends on a lot of different things, which I'll review for you.

Continue reading: Someone I met in chat is threatening me - am I safe on my computer?
http://ask-leo.com/C3945

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*** Comments

A sampling of some of the comments that have been posted recently on Ask Leo!

* * *

How do I find out who owns a Hotmail account?

*

Someone I met in chat is threatening me - am I safe on my computer?

*** Leo Recommends

Fujitsu ScanSnap
A Fast, Sheet-fed Document Scanner

This might appeal to only a small portion of my audience, but I've fallen in love with this device, and wanted to share it with those who'd find it as useful as I do.

I'm all about computers; I think you get that. But that also means that I'm all about using them - particularly when it comes to documents and document management. I find digital documents easier to store, backup and search than their paper counterparts. In general, I'd much prefer someone send me an email or give me an electronic copy of whatever document they're wanting to share - no need to waste paper for me.

On the other hand, between home ownership, running a couple of businesses and more, people are sending me paper every day. Paper that, in all honesty, I should keep - at least for a while. And yet, I'd really rather not.

You might guess that my ideal would be to scan all those documents into digital form, and then discard or shred the physical paper in favor of storing and backing up the documents on my computer. The problem is that traditional flatbed scanners are slow and cumbersome for any volume of scanning. And slow. Did I mention slow? And cumbersome?

The Fujitsu ScanSnap solves those issues.

Continue reading: Fujitsu ScanSnap - A Fast, Sheet-fed Document Scanner
http://ask-leo.com/C3552

*

Each week I recommend a specific product or resource that I've found valuable and that I think you may as well. What does my recommendation mean?

*** Popular Articles

I so wish the answer to this were a clear and consistent "yes", but it's not.

Can I count on mail to a bad address bouncing back?

•

Unfortunately, the answer is:

a) both

b) neither

and of course

c) all of the above.

Email bounce messages are both annoying and informative. They can help you fix a problem with an email you've sent, or they can simply be another message in a big pile of spam.

Unfortunately about the only thing you can count on is that you cannot count on bounce messages.

Continue reading...
Can I count on mail to a bad address bouncing back?
http://ask-leo.com/C2870

*** Thoughts and Comments

Got any advice for me?

I've had my assistant looking into options for carrying a simple cell phone with me when I travel to Australia and New Zealand next month. There are lots of options, many of them seem fairy expensive for what amounts to a convenience or "backup plan" while I'm out and about.

Do you have experience getting a temporary (3 weeks or so) mobile phone while traveling? It needs to work in Australia and New Zealand, and ideally include not-to-horrific rates for calling back to the U.S.. Skype is already here on my laptop, but that assumes a certain amount of internet connectivity that I may or may not have at all times.

If you've got suggestions, just let me know here. It's very much appreciated!

*

Last week I promised a write-up of the steps I took to upgrade my wife's computer to Windows 7. That's this week's article What are the steps to upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7? The machine continues to work well. I'm still ironing out a couple of minor issues with my own custom management and backup system, but this has been a "no regrets" upgrade. I'm quite pleased with the results, particularly considering the age of the machine.

Next up: my primary desktop. That may wait until the holidays....

Leo A. Notenboom

*** Administration

Hello!

Do you have a question for me? Don't hit reply! Head instead for the Ask Leo! home page and search the site first - seriously, around half the questions people ask are already answered there. You can also browse the archives, past newsletters and more. If you still can't find the answer you're looking for then by all means ask your question here (it's the fastest way).

Newsletter questions? Check the newsletter administration page. You can also unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of this email.

*** New Articles

How do I make sure that Windows is up-to-date?

*

It seems like every week there's news about some newly discovered vulnerability or bug fix in Windows. And of course the stories tell us that we should all rush out and install the fixes immediately or the world will come to and end.

Or something like that.

In fact, Microsoft does announce updates weekly. With that rapid a rate, how should you stay on top of things and make sure that your system is up to date?

There are several options.

Continue reading: How do I make sure that Windows is up-to-date?
http://ask-leo.com/C2024

* * *

What does it mean to register a domain?

*

Domain registration is something many people take for granted. Yes, it means ownership, of a sort, but it's also not really enough to just register a domain if you actually want to use it for something - you'll need to do more.

As I write this, I own something like 69 domains, so I know a little bit about what this is all about.

Let me walk you through the concepts.

Continue reading: What does it mean to register a domain?
http://ask-leo.com/C3943

* * *

Why is there an email block against my IP address?

*

Blocks against IP addresses are actually fairly rare when it comes to normal consumer internet connections, but they do happen.

One of the reasons that they're rare is that they're also somewhat error prone, as you've seen.

We'll look at what Hotmail (or any ISP that does this) might be thinking, and what your alternatives are.

Continue reading: Why is there an email block against my IP address?
http://ask-leo.com/C3942

* * *

How do I delete cookies?

*

Most saved passwords are saved as cookies; it's by far the most common approach. Web sites do this to avoid forcing you to re-login for every page you visit, or longer as a convenience if you tell it to "save password".

How you delete cookies depends on your browser. I'll walk you through both Firefox and Internet Explorer 8.

Continue reading: How do I delete cookies?
http://ask-leo.com/C3941

* * *

If I move a hard disk from my old machine to my new one, can I just run my old applications from it?

*

Yes, no, maybe and most likely not.

I'm sorry to be that vague, but the answer isn't always clear (though it is for the two programs you mention).

It's a common desire, and a common question. I'll look at the scenarios where it works, and where and why it does not.

Continue reading: If I move a hard disk from my old machine to my new one, can I just run my old applications from it?
http://ask-leo.com/C3940

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*** Comments

A sampling of some of the comments that have been posted recently on Ask Leo!

* * *

How do I backup my computer?

It's not so much how it measures up to me, but to you. Take anyone one of those three. Now imagine that it disappeared completely. As far as your data is concerned, is that a disaster, a pain, or simply an annoyance? If it's a disaster, then you're not backing up enough. If it's a pain, then a more complete backup strategy may help ease that pain should it ever occur. If it's just an annoyance, then you're probably just fine.

-Leo

*

My flash drive suddenly stopped working, how do I recover the data on it?

As I mentioned in the article, there's a wide variety in terms of cost and quality. Solid state drives tend to be expensive in part because they use a higher quality technology that lasts longer. The media will still wear out if used long enough, but as long as the media outlasts your need for it (i.e. it lasts longer than you keep the computer, for example), then all should be well. The issue is that many people don't realize how quickly inexpensive flash drives can fail if used improperly.

-Leo

*

Can I, or should I, use TrueCrypt for my backups?

TrueCrypt has an option for this. Specifically uncheck "Preserve timestamps of file containers". Then the container's timestamp will be updated and the file will be backed up or copied as you might expect.
The reason this option defaults to on is that if the container's timestamp is five years old (or whatever) it provide no indication that the data within it was updated yesterday, securing any traces of usage.
And yes, I learned this the hard way when my TrueCrypt volume didn't back up as expected some years ago.

-Leo

*** Leo Recommends

Recuva
A free, easy to use undelete and file recover tool

As you might expect, I have a small collection of useful tools that I keep available for assorted system maintenance and troubleshooting tasks. However, for the longest time I haven't really carried a file un-delete utility with me. Not because there aren't some good ones out there, but more because I never really got comfortable with any of the ones I had tried. I certainly was not comfortable enough to recommend any.

I recently discovered Recuva, which I just added to my toolkit. It's free, it's easy to use, and it's from the same people that bring you CCleaner, which gives added credibility.

When you delete a file, the contents of that file are not necessarily immediately overwritten or removed. Instead, the space used by that file is marked as "available" so that it can be used the next time data is written to the disk. As long as that doesn't happen and the old data is not overwritten by something new, there's a chance you can recover the file.

This is where utilities like Recuva come in. They scan the available space and the control information on the hard disk to identify files that might be recoverable.

Continue reading: Recuva - A free, easy to use undelete and file recover tool
http://ask-leo.com/C3605

*

Each week I recommend a specific product or resource that I've found valuable and that I think you may as well. What does my recommendation mean?

*** Popular Articles

Pictures in email - in the body? as attachments? And why do they sometimes display automatically and sometimes not?

Why do pictures in email sometimes show up in-line, and sometimes as attachments?

•

Yes, I think I can. And it is a bit of a mystery, involving a complex mix of email formats, email programs, and email security settings.

It may look like it comes and goes, but there's actually method behind the apparent madness. Complex method, but method nonetheless.

Continue reading...
Why do pictures in email sometimes show up in-line, and sometimes as attachments?
http://ask-leo.com/C2861

*** Thoughts and Comments

Thanks to everyone from "down under" who replied to me about potential meet-ups in Sydney and Auckland when I'm there in a couple of months. Keep an eye on this space, and on TravelsWithLeo.com for specifics once I figure out both where, and exactly when.

And to those wondering, Sydney and Auckland are not our only stops - they're just the ones where I figure I can set aside a little time to meet with the most people. Our actual itinerary includes Port Douglas, Sydney, Queenstown, Christchurch, Rotorua and then Auckland. It's a lot to pack into just three weeks!

*

The switch has been made.

My wife's computer is now running Windows 7. It had been showing signs of software rot for some time, and I'd been holding off cleaning up until I could install Windows 7.

I'll be writing up the process I used later this week, but it pretty much follows the recommendation I've been making all along: backup, reformat, reinstall. What's encouraging is that hers is an older Dell D610 laptop, so it's not today's cutting edge machine at all. A couple of minor issues (drivers, of course), but it's running like a champ.

As you can imagine, my level of confidence in Windows 7 had to be fairly high to take that plunge, and so far I've not been disappointed.

'till next time...

Leo A. Notenboom

*** Administration

Hello!

Do you have a question for me? Don't hit reply! Head instead for the Ask Leo! home page and search the site first - seriously, around half the questions people ask are already answered there. You can also browse the archives, past newsletters and more. If you still can't find the answer you're looking for then by all means ask your question here (it's the fastest way).

Newsletter questions? Check the newsletter administration page. You can also unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of this email.

*** New Articles

Is it safe to just turn off an external USB drive without "safely removing" first?

*

Ultimately turning off the device is pretty much the same as unplugging the USB cable. So, the short answer is no, it's not really a safe alternative.

Unfortunately it does happen sometimes that a USB device appears to be in use and cannot be stopped. I'll walk through some of the approaches you can take to removing the device while minimizing the risk of data loss.

And no, pulling the plug isn't one of them.

Continue reading: Is it safe to just turn off an external USB drive without "safely removing" first?
http://ask-leo.com/C3938

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Phishing? What's Phishing?

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Phishing is a word you hear a lot in the news these days, and this question question brought it to mind.

You're right to be suspicious: this definitely sounds like a phishing expedition.

Continue reading: Phishing? What's Phishing?
http://ask-leo.com/C2276

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What is this numeric folder in my SYSTEM32 folder, and why does it have 45 gigabytes of data in it?

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I don't know why there's 45Gb there, but we'll look at a couple of options that might be hiding whatever's taking up that space from sight.

I'll also look at what that folder, and some similar companion folders, are.

Continue reading: What is this numeric folder in my SYSTEM32 folder, and why does it have 45 gigabytes of data in it?
http://ask-leo.com/C3937

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Can clicking "Cancel" still mean "Accept" when I get a popup?

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Shame on them, indeed.

Yes, I think it's very likely that your daughter - trying to do the right thing - inadvertently allowed spyware onto your machine.

And yes, sometimes a cancel button isn't a cancel button at all.

While it's possible to tell the difference, it's not always easy.

Continue reading: Can clicking "Cancel" still mean "Accept" when I get a popup?
http://ask-leo.com/C3936

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Can I, or should I, use TrueCrypt for my backups?

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Sounds just fine, but my initial reaction is - why?

Not that there aren't valid reasons for doing do, but by and large it's not something most people need. That being said, it is a good solution for certain scenarios, and I'll look at a couple.

It all does kind of beg a chicken-and-egg type of question: do you backup encrypted files, or do you encrypt the backup?

Continue reading: Can I, or should I, use TrueCrypt for my backups?
http://ask-leo.com/C3935

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*** Comments

A sampling of some of the comments that have been posted recently on Ask Leo!

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What do I do if my machine didn't include installation or driver disks?

The recovery partition is not a part of Windows, and thus is not affected by your upgrade. You'll be left with a Windows Vista recovery partition on a Windows 7 machine - it's unlikely to work, or do what you want. The problem is that recovery partitions are provided by the manufacturer, not Windows, and there is no standard. In your shoes I would actually repartition the machine to remove the recovery partition and make the space it takes up usable, and after installing Windows 7 take an image backup to use as a recovery point should it ever be needed.

-Leo

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My flash drive suddenly stopped working, how do I recover the data on it?

As I said, there's also a wide range of quality in flash memory - so I could see a flash drive lasting 10 years "in normal use". They probably also define "normal use" such that things like dropping your Windows swap file onto the flash drive would probably void said warranty.

-Leo

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Can I, or should I, use TrueCrypt for my backups?

*** Leo Recommends

SnagIt
Quick and Easy Screen Capture and Annotation

One of the more surprising questions I get fairly often has nothing at all to do with computer problems, Windows configuration or general computing. It's very simple:

"How'd you get that cool tear-off look to your screen captures?"

I use SnagIt.

By the way, this is what they're talking about:

As with any utility like this, I'm certain that there are many alternatives, but I've been using SnagIt for several years now and have been exceptionally pleased with how quick and easy it is to use.

But I had to be convinced.

Continue reading: SnagIt - Quick and Easy Screen Capture and Annotation
http://ask-leo.com/C3457

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Each week I recommend a specific product or resource that I've found valuable and that I think you may as well. What does my recommendation mean?

*** Popular Articles

Open Windows Explorer and ... wait. If you find yourself waiting a long time for Windows Explorer to come up, this might be the article for you.

Why does Windows Explorer take so long to display sometimes?

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This is another of those situations that can actually be caused by many, many different things.

Fortunately, there are a couple of really common causes, so I'll look at those and we can see whether they help you at all.

Continue reading...
Why does Windows Explorer take so long to display sometimes?
http://ask-leo.com/C2854

*** Thoughts and Comments

Do you live in or near Sydney, Australia or Auckland, New Zealand?

If so, drop me a line ... I'll be visiting your fair cities next year (1/26-30, and 2/9-11 respectively), and am considering a meet-up. I'm curious if any of you would be interested.

I've already found a Starbucks not far from my hotel in Sydney (near Circular Quay), and I note that there are several in Auckland as well. Coffee's on me, for any who might be interested in showing up. Sadly, I won't be in a frame of mind for any on-site computer repair or diagnosis - this is most definitely a vacation, above all else - but I'd love to meet some of my subscribers from down-under.

More details to follow, should there be enough interest.

'till next time...

Leo A. Notenboom

*** Administration